44 REM MAG Advice

[lts70]

A friend asked me to load up some 44 REM MAG for him. He gave me some components and I wanted to see what you guys recommend I use to put some good target rounds together for him. He gave me these components to choose from.

brass: Mixed

Powder: Unique, win 231 and H110

boolits: Comercial cast 240gr SWC with beveled base (they weigh on my scale between 236gr and 238gr)

Primers: CCI large pistol magnum primers, Win WLP large pistol for standard or magnum, and Remington No. 2-1/2 large pistol primers

my Lyman 4th edition suggests these loads for 240 gr

- unique - start 10gr max 11.7

- H110 - start 22.5gr max 23.5 (with use of magnum primers)

Just wanted to get your guys opnion before I work up some rounds.

[Westwindmike]

I load 10.0 of Unique under a 240gr SWC with WLP primers. Shoots good in my Contender.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

I loaded 100 today, 240 grain LBC WRFN, Magnum primers and 6.5 grains of WW231

[runfiverun]

woo hoo a load i am not exceeding.
try 8-9 grs of unique.

[Lefty SRH]

I wouldn't use H110/296 for "target" loads unless you are looking for high velocity/heavier recoil "target" loads.

I'd stay with Unique or 231

[dale2242]

8 gr Unique with a 240-250 gr boolit in my 44 mags is my fun shooting load....dale

[Reload3006]

+1 with 8 - 9 gr of unique. If your wanting a stiffer round 10 gr of unique. H110 if your looking for power house mags.

[KCcactus]

8 - 9 gr of unique will work well. It makes a really nice target round.

[44man]

For the few times I use the gun for plinking, I like 7 gr of Unique or 6.5 gr 231.
I us NO magnum primer with any powder but the WW primers would be fine for H110. I would be more inclined to use the Rem primer.

[Sasquatch-1]

I load 10 grns of Unique with a 220 grn bullet and it is like shooting 44 special. I am experimenting right now to find a good load for my Desert Eagle and started with 9 grns Unique with a 260 grn bullet which was fine in my SBH but would not function the slide on my DE.

I hope this is a real good friend. I wouldn't want the liability.

[44man]

My friend has a DE and I like it. I have studied the gas channel and can't for the life of me figure out how they made the thing! I would not want to plug it with anything like a lube.

[Lizard333]

I wouldn't use H110/296 for "target" loads unless you are looking for high velocity/heavier recoil "target" loads.

I'd stay with Unique or 231

Good advice. The h110 is a good powder but is not very enjoyable. Not to say I don't load some of my loads with it, just not something I want to shoot all day. 231 would be my choice. Try them both. Just don't load a LOT of them. Let him try them out first.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I'd recommend not loading for someone else.

BUT, with that said,
what gun is your friend shooting ?
pistol ? revolver or contender ?
OR a rifle ? Lever action-Tube feed ?
Hunting or plinking ?

some advice already given if fine.
Basically, Unique for target/plinking loads and
H110 for High power/heavy recoil loads.
BUT, I would not use H110 with commercal "hard cast" (& hard lube) bullets.
read the caution in the reloading manual about H110, DO NOT use for light loads.
and I always use a Mag Primer with it.
Jon

[Larry Gibson]

woo hoo a load i am not exceeding.
try 8-9 grs of unique.

+1, for a medium level "target load" the OP mentioned.

Larry Gibson

[Larry Gibson]

...........or 6.5 gr 231..........

+1 for the "target Load" the OP mentioned.

As also mentioned by others; H110 is not a good powder for that bullet nor for a "target load". H110 will only be good for top end magnum level loads.

Larry Gibson

[Grandpas50AE]

+1 on the advice about H110, it is only for full house loads. I use it on my 275gr. cast GC boolits with very good results, but the lighter cast boolit may not give the powder enough resistance (a J-bullet will) to keep the powder ignited well enough for consistent performance. For the lighter boollits, especially target loads, the Unique and 231 are much better powders.

[ShooterAZ]

8 grains of Unique with a 240 SWC gives very good accuracy in all of my .44's. It shoots high in my 12" T/C Contender compared to hotter loads though...but still very accurate.

[Blammer]

8-9gr of unique is what I would recommend.

[flipajig]

My SBH likes 6.6 grns of W 231 or HP-38
240 grn cast if remember right it runs right around 800 fps
No mag primerCCI LP Primer.
This works for me.

[geargnasher]

Anybody mention 8-9 grains of Unique? :kidding:

Make sure you get the gun too so you can check the fit of things, particularly the cylinder throat and groove diameter, make sure the boolits aren't sized too small, which unfortunately commercial ones usually are. Undersized boolits = gas leaks which = leading in the barrel.

Gear

[1bluehorse]

You've got very good advice from all above. Only thing I can add is if your friend is really wanting to shoot some light, (one handed easy) fun, plinkers, :Fire: have him buy a jug of Trailboss and load some of those up for him. It's probably around 12.00 bucks a can. Clean, accurate, and very pleasant to shoot...he'll thank you for it...:drinks:

[Lizard333]

You've got very good advice from all above. Only thing I can add is if your friend is really wanting to shoot some light, (one handed easy) fun, plinkers, :Fire: have him buy a jug of Trailboss and load some of those up for him. It's probably around 12.00 bucks a can. Clean, accurate, and very pleasant to shoot...he'll thank you for it...:drinks:

So will his wrists........:D

[firefly1957]

Check a manual for a load around 900 f/s you will have less leading and more fun shooting than a faster load. If that lead is soft and the lube poor you could still get leading.

[mdi]

OK, you got 8-9 grains of Unique. Commercial casters sell millions of .44 lead bullets, and many times the user is turned off using lead because of barrel leading. Fit is the key to barrel leading free shooting, so I'd suggest you measure the gun and measure the store bought boolits. Bullets would be best sized to the same size as the cylinder throats, or a hair larger (.001") for a revolver or .001" or .002" over groove diameter for single shot, lever action rifle, etc...

[youngda9]

I shoot 10.5gr of Unique with that bullet as my standard load. Gives me 1250fps out of my 6.5" 629. Not a super hot load but will pass through anyting on this continent with a 240gr Keith boolit. 8-9 grains would be fine as well...but when I'm shooting a 44 I want to know it :)

[fredj338]

IMO, you have the wrong components unless he wants soft target loads or full power ammo. Neither powder gets you good midrange loads. As others note, that is the relm of the medium burner like Unique or WSF. Also noted, commercial hard cast may not be best unless they fit the gun & you can get the pressure range right for the BHN.

[randyrat]

Even 10 grains of Unique is not bad. Make sure all is fitting good though or you will lead thae barrel good